Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission

The Regional Chamber launched the Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission (EOMAC) in 2015 to preserve and promote the value of military operations between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, with an emphasis on the Youngstown Air Reserve Station and Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center, formerly known as Camp Ravenna Joint Training Center.

These unique regional military assets in the region include the USAF Reserve 910th Airlift Wing, which is the only aerial spray capability in the military. Furthermore, the 21,000-acre Camp James A. Garfield site has transformed in recent years from a World War II munitions to an advanced training site for thousands of troops in the Ohio National Guard.

EOMAC is a proud member of the Association of Defense Communities and part of the Ohio military commission network, with peers around the state, including Task Force Lima, Toledo Military Affairs Commission, Ohio National Guard Association and Dayton Development Coalition.

Military Members at YARS

EOMAC Team/Partners

The commission is led by Attorney Vito Abruzzino. Outside of this role, Atty. Abruzzino is a Major in the United States Army Reserve and has served with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps at Fort Jackson, S.C., and Fort Bragg, N.C. Abruzzino is a graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law and has also acted as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in Columbia, S.C.

EOMAC is proudly supported by generous contributions from the Western Reserve Port Authority, Trumbull 100, Regional Chamber and Trumbull County Community Foundation.

Accomplishments/Updates

  • Ohio Support: EOMAC is working with the Ohio Federal Research Network and state leaders to continue to grow opportunities to build national defense capacity at regional installations and to evaluate the potential for university and military research partnerships.
  • Military Value: The Reserve and Guard throughout the region continue to protect the nation by the most efficient and effective means. Data demonstrates that these installations offer major contributions to defense, all while keeping federal expenditures at a minimum. Keeping facilities and materials upgraded for optimal performance is a key to continuing this trend in excellence.
  • Community Partnership: Citizen soldiers contribute to our installations and communities. EOMAC is proud to grow these contributions through the USAF Community Partnership Program, in which 910th Air Reservists are receiving training credits to address local safety, education and emergency issues with stakeholders throughout the region.

Recent News

Hundred of Letters Sent to Trump in Support of Camp Ravenna for the East Coast Missle Defense System Site

Apr 04, 2018
As the Trump Administration looks to choose a site in coming months for the East Coast Missile Defense System, support is quickly mounting across the State of Ohio for the Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center to be named the location for the $4.6 billion project.
As the Trump Administration looks to choose a site in coming months for the East Coast Missile Defense System, support is quickly mounting across the State of Ohio for the Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center to be named the location for the $4.6 billion project.

In just the past few weeks, two U.S. Senators and 14 Members of the House from Ohio signed and sent a joint letter of support to President Trump, as did the nine members of the Ohio Metro Chambers Coalition—representing 32,000 employers that provide more than 3.1 million jobs—and 23 superintendents of Trumbull County school districts. These are just three of more than 300 letters sent that the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber has tracked to date.

The content of the letters is impactful, as they reference Ravenna’s proximity to Youngstown, Akron, Canton and Cleveland and the workforce each of these communities offer; the vital infrastructure around the base that is necessary for such a project; the buildability and affordability our region offers—with more than 78,000 trained men and women in the construction fields in northeast Ohio, which is 20 times and six times more, respectively, than the New York and Michigan sites under consideration for the project have available; and the longtime, significant role Camp Ravenna has played in the nation’s defense.

The Chamber and Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission have been soliciting letters of support for Camp Ravenna to be chosen for the Missile Defense System for the past month and have made specific requests to service organizations, government associations and more.

The Regional Chamber’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Guy Coviello, said, “In addition to the sound arguments that we have the most buildable and affordable site, the big takeaway from these letters is that this community and the State of Ohio overwhelmingly embrace the presence of the U.S. military here.”

For more information, contact Coviello at 330.550.5258; Chamber President & CEO James Dignan at 302.670.2199; or Executive Director of EOMAC Vito Abruzzino at 330.219.3081.  
Sales and service banner-01
Learn More

Learn more about the Regional Chamber and what a membership can do for you!

Join Now

If you are ready to be a member now, call Becky at 330.744.2131, ext. 1219, or apply and pay online!

Pay Dues

Already a member and would like to pay your renewal dues online? Click here to pay by credit card.